Social Question

Gadgets, not meds for sleep: have you tried a Sleepband, a special mattress or any "object" that helps you sleep?

I’ve seen Sleepbands for your wrist and I’ve heard of magnetic mattress pads. Has anyone tried any of these things , other than medicines, that have done either nothing OR been a fantastic find for sleeping?

I tried the magnetic wristbands but couldn’t see any benefit. As a side note I came across an article in yesterday’s paper about the use of magnets to treat depression in a medical study so I think there might be something to the magnetic thing

@Adirondackwannabe I think so. I bought 2 , $7 each magnetic bracelets and wore them all night for about 2 weeks. I haven’t had any numbness or tingling at night since and its been months. I had a real small one I loaned to a neighbor and she said she thought it helped her back.

I’ve used magnetic insoles for years, and been thrilled with them. I sleep on a magnetic travel pad (you can get full mattresses) and it helps me sleep a little deeper and longer. I’m a very poor sleeper, so anything helps. I use the Nikken products, they’re pretty pricey (I got a discount from a friend who was a dealer) but I’ve been very pleased. If you can find a dealer in your area, s/he might let you test drive some of the products before having to lay out any cash.

White noise, sleep noise generators, fans, marijuana, and meditation all help me sleep. I’ve had insomnia since I was a kid and it often takes me a really long time to sleep. A good part of this past summer, I couldn’t sleep through the entire night and spent a month or two feeling really sleep deprived.

I even have a “pick your sound” thingie w/really pretty sounds that doesn’t work plus the fan roaring away and I try to “meditate’ in bed only , meaning block all thoughts. No go. Took a blue sleep gel and felt dreadful the entire next day. I slept, alright.

I house sat for my neighbor a few times and he has one of those memory foam mattresses. It made a lot of difference.

Sometimes I listen to cricket sounds or rainstorms that I have downloaded from itunes (and looped on a CD) with earphones. That is very helpful. Music doesn’t seem to work well for me and the sounds of birds chirping during a rainstorm recording doesn’t help, so I found some that were only rain storms. The other ambient sound CD’s that have worked for me are train sounds and campfire sounds.

I have also found that Rodney Yee’s “Back care for beginners” (yoga tape) was very helpful, if I did the easy exercises right before going to bed.